In our last two blogs, we at Bridal Spectacular shared some amazing beauty tips and insight from Makeup in the 702 and Hair’z Melinda. Last, but certainly not least, we have our final installment of the Do’s and Don’ts of bridal beauty — tips from Amelia C, the amazing owner of Amelia C & Company!

Bridal Spectacular: When a bride is looking for a hair and makeup stylist for her wedding, where do you recommend she starts her search and what questions should she ask the stylist to ensure she is getting a great, professional vendor?

Amelia: With every major website, incorporating a review system is easier now than ever, and it allows future brides hear about what other brides experienced on their wedding day. However, a perfect rating isn’t the same as a perfect vendor. Compare reviews across multiple sites and look for a few key things:

Are the reviews one-liners or in depth experience?

How long has this company been around? (Many beauty professionals do wedding hair and makeup on the side, and will cancel an event if their day-job requires them to work.)

Are the reviews consistent or are they varied from one site to another?

Any wedding vendor is obviously going to tell the bride what she wants to hear in order to gain her business, so independent research is very important.

Bridal Spectacular: Before the wedding, what do you recommend a bride does in order to ensure she is ready for her big day (The Do’s)?

Amelia: Trial runs are a wonderful option for brides who have the time and are unsure about the look they want on their big day. Spray tans are ideal for blending and masking skin imperfections or discoloration. Most importantly, however, is that the bride starts are regular skin and brow regimen.

A great makeup application starts with great skin and brows. Most brides don’t want to feel heavy or cakey makeup, so the better condition the skin is, the better the makeup application will be. Also, for brides traveling out of state, we strongly recommend a good exfoliation regimen along with a great moisturizer and hydration, hydration, hydration. Most climates are much more humid than Las Vegas and all too often we see brides with ultra-dry skin that looks flaky and dull. Exfoliation clears away the dry skin and moisturizer keeps it supple. In addition, drinking more than the usual amount of water will help balance the celebratory cocktails and salty foods often enjoyed during vacation as well.

Bridal Spectacular: And what do you recommend she does not do before the wedding (The Don’ts)?

Amelia: Don’t force your mother into getting hair and makeup, or worse, getting her hair and makeup done radically different than what she’s used to. Some moms are all for it and enjoy the different makeover, but if your mom wants to rock her feathered bangs from 1986, let her do it. The photos will still be great and she’ll have a much better time at your wedding if she’s comfortable.

Also, don’t count on your bridesmaids to show up on time for their hair and makeup appointment. We usually prefer to do the bride last. However, too often a bridesmaid will run late, forcing the bride to start getting ready earlier than planned. Be clear with your bridal party upfront about the time specifications, if they love you, they’ll show up.

Bridal Spectacular: How do you help a bride determine her perfect wedding look?

Amelia: It’s all based on a “mood.” Rather than looking at specific styles, we like to find out what kind of mood our brides are trying to evoke. Is it more polished, sleek and couture? Or maybe softer and feminine? How about ultra-glam? A soft, billowy dress with big embroidered flowers and pearl jewelry probably won’t look great when paired with a sleek top-knot, just like a form-fitting satin mermaid gown would look strange with a boho-chic hair style.

Bridal Spectacular: How about the bridal party — Is there anything you recommend for the bridesmaids?

Amelia: When it comes to bridal parties, simplicity and elegance is always the best option. The makeup should be fresh and clean and more on the natural side. For bridal party hairstyles, I love long, down, soft waves or soft pulled-back updo’s. They don’t all have to be the same hairstyle, but going back to the brides look, we want the mood to be consistent. It’s distracting in photos when one bridesmaid opts for red lips and fingerwaves while the other opt for a tight updo and minimal makeup.

Bridal Spectacular: When it comes to planning, how much time should the bride allot on her wedding day to get her hair and makeup done?

Amelia: It’s best to let her beauty professional determine the time frames required to perform the services, simply because we understand how long each service will take and how many artists will be required.

Bridal Spectacular: What are the latest trends you’ve been seeing in 2015 with hair and makeup? Also, are there any trends you don’t recommend?

Amelia: Glam is back! And we couldn’t be more thrilled! High on the head, big, beautiful, fluffy curls, and the “bridal mohawk” is on trend right now. We are so excited to go back to our roots of glamorous hairstyles and under-stated makeup for our brides — it’s simply gorgeous.

The trend that (thankfully) is declining is the over-done contouring. Women are starting to realize that strong highlighting and contouring look very different in photos than in person, and they also don’t realize the amount of makeup that’s required to create that look. There’s a big difference between admiring an Instagram or Pinterest photo and actually wearing it. We are glad to finally go back to doing what we’ve done all along… beautiful, enhanced features that look flawless both in person and on camera.

Bridal Spectacular: Anything else you would like to add or share to help brides achieve the perfect look for the wedding day?

Amelia: When looking at inspiration photos and determining your look, consider two main things:

First, what is the mood I want to create? Do I want to feel sexy and sophisticated, or couture and chic? Maybe I like the fresh, boho vibe or have always dreamed of a traditional, bridal look?

Second, consider what you already are starting with. If you always wear your hair down, you’ll probably feel awkward with it up, no matter how great of an updo it is. If you don’t wear makeup every day, a glittery eye with long, black liner will make you feel like a drag queen. Start with where you’re at, discover what mood you want to create, and then from there bridging the gap between your day-to-day look and your bridal look becomes much clearer.

Bridal Spectacular: Thank you for this incredible information, Amelia! And thank you to all of our beauty professionals who helped provide such great bridal beauty tips for our readers.

About Amelia C & Company

Amelia C & Company brings together an award-winning Las Vegas hair and makeup team that makes bad hair days and sloppy makeup quiver in their proverbial stilettos. Their makeup artists specialize in both photography and bridal beauty, ensuring that you are as beautiful on camera as you are in person. Their hairstylists are up-to-date on the latest trends and well versed in working with extensions. In addition, they also offer mobile spray tanning for that smooth and sultry glow against the crisp white of your gown. Every bride’s makeup application is designed specifically for her skin type and a hairstyle to complement the tone of her bridal beauty. From a high-fashion dramatic look to an all-natural relaxed feel, Amelia C. and her talented artists are ready to create the bridal look that’s perfect for you!

To learn more about Amelia C & Company and its services, please click here. And, be sure to save-the-date to attend our Autumn Bridal Show August 21 and 22 at Cashman Center where you can meet the all of top wedding professionals in Las Vegas! Receive $5 o­ff admission when you buy tickets online! Click here and enter promo code: BLOG2015